Thousands to line streets for Thomas' final race

Thousands of cycling fans are expected to line streets across south Wales as Geraint Thomas calls time on his glittering career.

The 2018 Tour de France champion and Olympic gold medallist will retire when the Tour of Britain ends in Cardiff on Sunday.

The final 122.2km (76 miles) stage begins at the velodrome in Newport named after the 39-year-old and will go past his childhood cycling club Maindy Flyers before ending in his hometown.

"The last stage goes within 100 metres of my mum and dad's house, past the pub where I had my first pint," Thomas said.

"I'm just lucky the Tour of Britain comes at the end of the season so I can finish my career on home roads. It will be an amazing way to finish."

Thomas is in 86th position in the tour, more than 16 minutes behind overall leader Romain Gregoire following Saturday's "emotional" fifth stage between Pontypool and The Tumble.

"It was a special day, the crowds were amazing," Thomas added.

"Coming up the climb was mad. It felt like every person on there was cheering for me, which was crazy.

"I saw a lot of friends and family, and it was a super nice way to finish my penultimate day. One more day, it's going to be a nice day."

His team, Ineos Grenadiers, will wear a special jersey designed by the Welshman celebrating the names of people, places and victories that defined his journey as well as a hand-drawn picture done by his son.

The final stage in the Welsh capital will likely evoke memories of his homecoming parade in the yellow jersey of the Tour de France champion seven years ago when an estimated 8,000 people gathered for his victory celebrations.

"It changed my life," added Thomas recalling victory in cycling's most prestigious race.

"It's a funny one. I kind of felt like at the time I was most confident and felt no pressure, which is kind of the opposite to what you might think.

"You're in that yellow jersey, one or two stages, you think as the race goes on you'd be feeling more pressure, but if anything I just felt more relaxed. Mentally I was in such a good place.

"It might have been different if it was four or five years earlier, but it almost felt like everything that had happened before was setting me up for that."

Thomas also won track gold at two Olympics - Beijing in 2008 and London 2012 - as well as road race gold at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

He has since held talks over moving into management with Team Ineos alongside team principal Sir Dave Brailsford.

Thomas joined Team Sky, as it was then known, in 2010 and over the next decade helped the British outfit win seven Tours de France as well as success at the Vuelta a Espana and the Giro d'Italia.